Tasneem Diwan, A New Jersey Woman Charged With Bludgeoning Mother-in-Law to Death

Tasneem Diwan was captured on January 29th at a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was returned to East Windsor, New Jersey, to face charges of bludgeoning her mother-in-law to death. According to a press statement from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the victim, 75-year-old Safia Diwan, was found deceased by East Windsor police – who followed up on a 911 call — at about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26, in a front office of the home she shared with Tasneem Diwan. Police did not say how long Diwan may have been dead or who made the 911 call. Police also did not say whether there were other people in the home, when police arrived.

An autopsy report indicated that Safia Diwan died of blunt force trauma to the head. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has accused Diwan of striking her mother-in-law in the head several times with an unknown object. She has been charged with one count of murder, one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. She is being held on bail of $1 million, and had not posted bail as of Feb. 2 afternoon.

The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office reported that a hunt for Diwan began after Safia’s body was found at the home. Diwan was observed late Jan. 29 evening in the bus terminal area of the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City. She was detained there by security officers and Atlantic City police. Members of the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the East Windsor Township Police Department transported Diwan back to East Windsor to continue the investigation.

Before she was captured, Diwan was last seen driving a green 2000 Nissan Quest minivan with New Jersey license plate JYY16P. Police described her as “distraught.”

According to 6abc.com, the victim’s son and the woman’s husband, Dr. Nauman Diwan, is an internist. The report added that sources say Tasneem suffers from mental health issues, which her neighbors say they were unaware of.